


The Candle

by adorablemarshmellow



Category: Supernatural
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-23
Updated: 2019-03-23
Packaged: 2019-11-28 07:27:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,725
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18205361
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/adorablemarshmellow/pseuds/adorablemarshmellow
Summary: AU- Sam and Gabriel have found a way to bring Mary back. But what are the consequences?





	The Candle

**Author's Note:**

> So I needed to write a "Gothic" story for English. Any feedback is welcome

Icy wind slashed at his face as he tried to get his bearings on the narrow trail. Overtime, the path has adapted to twist, snaking around ancient trees. The criss-crossing roots, had spilled onto the path, creating a series of great obstacles. The sturdy trees had grown to combine and form a cover overhead, blocking out any light that would attempt to penetrate it. A wolf howled somewhere in the distance, carried by the wind ghosting through the trees causing goose bumps to appear on his skin.

CRACK!

He froze, heart stopping.

“You're such a scaredy cat! Lighten up Sammy”

Gabriel’s rumbling laughter echoed through the dense forest around him.

Rolling his eyes at his childish friend, Sam continued carefully along the twisting path, avoiding any hazards in the low light of the moon. He walked to the beat of Gabriel’s rhythmic humming. 

Rolling his eyes at his immature friend, Sam contemplated their friendship. From an outsiders perspective, they were not two people who would typically get along. Gabriel was the polar opposite of Sam. Spending his time playing sports and bringing home trophies while Sam would spend all his time with his head buried in a book. Gabriel was very confident and expressive. Sam was not comfortable in front of many people, often hunching the shoulders of his moose-like frame to make himself feel smaller. As unlikely friends as they were, they worked well together. Sam as the brain, Gabriel as the brawn. They were on this journey in the first place because they had worked together. 

When Sam had turned 16, his mother had been killed in a mysterious house fire that had shattered his family. His relationship with his brother and his father had crumbled, leaving Sam relatively alone within his own home. Rather than spending his time grieving, Sam threw himself into his research and to finding a way to bring his mother back.

As children, Sam and Gabriel had heard tales of a candle that would grant a person’s deepest desire when it was held. They had brushed it off as being an old fairy tale then, but Sam looked back into it after he was running out of options. With Gabriel’s assistance, they were able to find the confirmation needed of the tale in an old book they had acquired from an aging professor located at a remote university. The timeworn book had led them to the journey they were currently on, hunting down the candle.

Foot accidentally tripping on a stray root, his body was lurched forward. Sam threw his arms out in front of his body dramatically as his heavy stomp to steady himself reverberated through the forest.

Upon the forest floor lie trees of years gone by, fallen in storms long forgotten. The seasons had been harsh, stripping away the bark and outer layers, yet rendering them all the more beautiful. The unnatural, choking mist swirled and sprawled on the forest floor spoke of a sense of wrongness. The mist causing the trees in the distance to become silhouettes against a blanket of white. The trees, trunks a sombre brown with dark cracks gnarling the bark are barley seen through the veil of mist. The leaves whisper their songs to the wind as another icy blast passes through. No matter how warm the blood in veins, Sam’s face got frozen just the same. He craned his head to see the spikes of the iron gates peeking out from the translucent fog drifting in between trees in the distance. Gabriel’s humming had stopped some time ago.

With only a small distance left of the journey, the boys picked up their pace along the damp path, heartrates increasing with anticipation. Their footsteps released soft sludgy sounds as they made their way towards the edge of the forest. The sky once again became visible as they exited the sheltered forest. The remnants of dusk clung to the sky like a battle it was tremendously losing. They followed the path until they reached the intimidating black gate.

The iron gate that looked like it had been forged nearly a century ago looked out of place against the crumbling stone wall. It was eight feet tall and made of twisted black rods. Some of them curled in convoluted patterns where opportunist spiders had created webs. The fog had accumulated at the base of the gate, obstructing a clear view of the base. Behind the iron gate in the distance, silhouetted by the darkening sky, was the cathedral.

As the light of day starts to drain away, there is barely enough even for the shadows. Whether Sam likes it or not, the darkness has come. Even the stars and moon cower behind a dense layer of cloud. Reaching into his worn backpack, he pulls out a torch he hands to Gabriel.

“Can you give me some light?”

Gabriel complied, the beam of the torch sliced through the darkness like a sword, illuminating the latch of the gate. Covering his hands with the frayed sleeves of his jacket, he tried to force the corroded latch open. After a few hits, it gave way and opened. A colossal groan was emitted as the rusted iron gate was pushed open, causing an uproar of the birds that had found refuge in the nearby trees of the forest.

Gabriel and Sam entered the desolate courtyard slowly, bodies wound tightly, ready to flee at any moment. The fog danced around their feet as they advanced forward, swirling with each movement. The harsh beam of light coming from the torch Gabriel held was scattering in uneven patterns. On the roof of the cathedral were the gargoyles, hunched, disfigured and leaning forward. In the encroaching darkness, they took on their demonic stare, grins evoking notions of sadistic pleasure. A sliver of light illuminated the courtyard from the moon peeking from behind the dominating black clouds covering the sky.

Their footsteps echoed sharply around the deserted courtyard, sounding overly loud in Sam’s ears, like the booming heartbeat of a condemned prisoner as they made their way over to the steps. The boys nervously glancing around to ensure isolation. The ornate wooden door was embedded into a small alcove at the top of the crumbling steps. The brief appearance of moonlight had faded, leaving the only light coming from the small hand torch. Gabriel illuminated the handle of the door so Sam could open it.

Sam gave the door a strong pull. It didn’t budge. Taking a deep breath of the icy air, he used all his force to open the rusted door, steadiness wavering at the imbalance of force. Dragging the door open, they slowly entered the dark hall.

BANG!

The door had slammed shut behind them. Brushing off the small fright, Sam grabbed the torch from Gabriel to illuminate the hall. The moonlight had once again appeared. The room they were in must have once been magnificent, but now only held the ghost of a once beautiful masterpiece. The moonlight shone softly through the heavily cracked stained-glass windows, casting an eerie glow onto the dusty alter. The candle was placed in the centre of it. Thick cobwebs hung on every surface possible and their footsteps sounded deafening on the cold stone floor as they walked carefully down the long stretch of the hall. The pillars placed symmetrically between each of the windows reached tall towards the ceiling, elongating the height of the room.

Making their way across the dirty floor to the alter, they quickly got to work setting up the ritual. Sam painted a thick circle on the floor around the base of the alter from a jar of lamb’s blood. Gabriel placed a few lit candles evenly around the circle while Sam carved symbols into the drying blood. The blackness of the night swallowed everything save a few scattered yellow flickers emitting from the few candles. The symbols carved into the blood of the ring began glowing a feint gold, causing shining flecks to appear in Gabriel’s eyes.

A quick glance at his watch told Sam it was a few minutes until midnight. He stepped into the centre of the circle, picking up the candle from its place on top of the alter. He cradled the fascinating candle in his hands, regarding its unusual appearance. It was split down the middle by a thick rusted silver band embedded with rubies and detailed with inscriptions of an ancient language. On the left of the band was half of the candle, the colour an ebony black that seemed to suck light in. On the right was the other half of the candle. A pure white colour with small black vines dancing along the edges.

“Its time Sammy. Are you ready?”

With a nod, Sam straightened his hunched shoulders, inhaling a deep breath. Gabriel struck a match, producing a loud hissing, the light flaring against the darkness. Holding the match in his shaking hands, Gabriel set each side of the candle in Sam’s hands aflame. Resting the burning candle across his palms, Sam raised it to reach eye level. Gabriel’s voice rang out with the recital of the Latin phrases in the book. The sound of wind gently echoing through the hall and Gabriel speaking softly fell away as Sam cleared his mind.

“I, Samuel Winchester, wish upon this candle to return to me my mother”

The previously dull glowing emitting from the carved symbols had intensified to an almost blinding level. The candle he held was forcing Sam’s hand to tighten around itself. The rubies embedded in the candle were pressing painfully into his palm. All the candles in the room had blown out from a sudden gust of wind.  The air was sucked out of his lungs. Turning around Sam saw her, his mother. 

She was pale and fair, with long platinum curls falling in profusion over her shoulders, had large, blue, languishing eyes, rosy lips, and dressed in a simple, white cotton dress. Her voice, warmer than sunlight on amber, called to him softly.

He placed the blown out candle back on the alter. Racing to his mother, he was enveloped in the solely missed comfort of a mothers embrace. Sam took a step back to fully look at his mother. She looks just as she remembered. Even with the twinkle in her right eye. Then came the question he had been dreading.

“What am I doing here?”

Too shocked to respond to his newly resurrected mother, Gabriel took control of the situation. He explained calmly.

“We are happy to explain everything Mrs Winchester but we should probably get out of here, this place gives me the creeps”.

Sam chuckles lightly at his friend’s antics. Letting his mother rest on the ground, Sam and Gabriel slowly started to dispose of any evidence suggesting they were ever there. Being mindful of the hot, dripping wax, Sam carefully wrapped the candle in the hoodie he wore and placed it into his backpack. Each time Gabriel blew a candle blew out, the light dimmed until the last candle was blown out and they were cast into complete darkness. A loud rumbling sounded through the hall amplifying in strength as it travelled.

The trio exited the hall of the cathedral with the light of the torch guiding them. The doors opened to reveal the courtyard encased in darkness, with a slight cover of fog. Walking cautiously down the stone steps, they made their way across the darkened courtyard back to the iron gate. Looking back at the cathedral, Sam saw that a sliver of moonlight had peaked through the clouds, illuminating a single gargoyle, placed at the peak on the rooftop. The gargoyle stared down in the fading light, eyes bulging as if the hatred behind them was about to burst forth. Sam left quickly through the opened gate.

Sam was walking unusually slowly down the forest path, almost robotically, as if his brain was struggling to tell each foot to take the next step. It was as if he were in a stupor; like someone under hypnosis in one of those scooby-doo cartoons. Internally, his mind was racing with thoughts about the resurrection of his mother. He could feel eyes on the back of his head, making the hair on the back of his head stand up, similar to the gargoyle watching him leave the cathedral. Spinning around, he only saw Gabriel, looking pale, stumbling every few steps, the usual grace he possessed gone, chatting quietly to his mother.

“Gabe, are you alright?”

“Yeah Sam-moose, I’m great. Just chatting to your mother here”

Anyone else making a comment about his massive frame would make Sam feel uncomfortable. But whenever Gabriel did it, a small smile would force its way onto his face. Still concerned for his friend, he turned to keep walking down the mist covered trail. The rumbling had intensified somewhat, making goose bumps rise along his bare arms. He missed the little warmth his jacket provided, but it now covered the candle in his backpack.

A stillness falls over the forest, and in the silence comes a low crackle of thunder. For a moment, everything stops. Even the wind holds its breath. A streak of hot silver splits the sky, and the downpour begins.

The canopy of trees did little to shield the trio from the downpour, soaking them instantly. They raced down the winding trail, wary of any overgrown roots. Advancing forward through the atrocious storm seemed to be an insurmountable journey. Icy wind slashed at his face and the rain danced its evil dance upon his head as he tried to get his bearings on the isolated forest path. The howling storm disoriented him as they stumbled forwards. Searching for relief from the torrential storm, they went off the path towards a clump of thick trees.

CRACK!

All three of them jumping, they quickened their pace. Reaching the trees, they pile into the small space with coverage from the rain. Sam looked out into the storm to a small clearing he could make out through the sheets of rain. He could see a small structure far off that looked like a hunting cabin. Encouraging the others, they made their way towards the small cabin. They entered the clearing, the freezing rain motivating them to move faster. 

Sam turns just in time to watch Gabriel collapse. His foot catches on a bit of uneven ground and he pitches forward bonelessly, making no effort to recover or even break his fall. Gabriel was out before he even connected with the ground, hitting it like a ton of bricks. Sam’s cries were lost beneath the storm that rolled overhead. He sprinted over to his best friend. He collapsed onto the round next to him, shifting Gabriel’s body to rest on his knees. Sam tried waking him up, but to no avail. 

 

Time stopped. The rain falling had frozen mid-air, hair plastering wetly against his forehead.

Sam’s body heat didn’t so much as drain away or leach out slowly, it abandoned him with callous speed, leaving him helpless and shivering too violently to flee. The clearing had become deathly silent.

His mother, who had been standing over him, vanished into nothing. Scanning the clearing, he could not see anyone. In his arms, Gabriel looked deathly pale, his blond hair hanging in brown chunks across his freezing forehead. He lifted Gabriel’s wrist, shakily feeling for a pulse, but could not find anything. Sam’s heart dropped, silent tears running down his face. He released an anguished cry, screaming for Gabriel to wake up while pulling him closer to his body.

“He won’t wake up” A voice spoke, with a hint of arrogance.

Whipping his head up he saw a woman standing in front of him. Braided dark locks were pulled away to reveal piercing blue eyes framed by sharp features and pale skin. The woman advanced forward slowly, each step causing the blood red dress adorning her small frame to ripple across the soaked terrain. Sam sat motionless on the ground, still clutching his best friend in his arms.

“Who are you?” Sam shakily let out.

“I am the one who deals with those who disrupt the natural order. You brought your mother back with the Candle of Promises, you defied the order of nature. You saved a life, and in return a life must be taken. The balance of the world needs to be restored. So, upon returning your mother to you, your best friends’ life was taken in return.”

Sam remained frozen on the ground, in disbelief at what he had been told.

Gabriel was dead.

How could the person who has been there for him throughout his whole life just be dead? How could the person he trusted most in the world just be gone? No dramatic exit, no buildup. Just sudden. Because of him. Sam had killed Gabriel. His heart broke with the realisation as he gazed down at Gabriel. In defiance, Sam raised his head to meet the withering gaze of the woman.

“What do I need to do then? You said Gabriel's life was traded for my mothers, yet she is not here. Where is she?” Sam asked confidently.

“Your mother is currently in the transitional phase between life and death. It is up to you to decide what side she ends up on. You only have a short period of time before the door is closed forever and my hands are tied. I am doing you a favour by being here. So which is it Sam Winchester? Who do you want? Your mother or your best friend?”

Sams heart ached as he looked down at Gabriel, lifeless in his arms. His heart broke with the decision he had to make. He had gone through all this pain to get his mother back. Yet... Gabriel was the one who meant everything to him. The one who he had always counted on. Sam raised his head to look at woman, decision made, and she smirked wickedly.

“As you wish”

She clicked her fingers.

Time started again. The ice-cold rain pierced his skin as he used his body to protect Gabriel's. The silent tears running down his face were uncontrollable as he couldn't see Gabriel moving. A sob started in Sam’s throat. Unnoticed by Sam, Gabriel opened his whiskey brown eyes to stare up at his sobbing best friend.

“Sammy?”

Gabriel was suddenly sandwiched between his moose of a best friend and the ground. The boy above him clutched him for dear life.

Lifting his body up to hover over Gabriel, Sam smiled and let out a little laugh.

“The woman made me choose between your life and my mothers. I chose you Gabe. I would always choose you.”

The rain dripping off Sam's mane of hair kept splashing Gabriel in the face. Wiping his face with his frayed sleeve, he smiled at Sam.

“Thank you Sammy. I would choose you as well. You are everything to me.”

The vulnerability Gabriel felt at what he had just said caused a blush to appear on his cheeks. 

Come on! We'll go to the cabin until the storm passes" Sam yelled over the roar of the storm. 

Sam got to his feet, offering an arm to Gabriel who grabbed it straight away. Gabriel was unsteady on his feet as he stood up. Sam put an arm around his waist as they moved slowly towards the cabin. Once they had reached the cabin, they were happily surprised to see it was fairly furnished, a couch in front of the fireplace and a small kitchen in the far corner. 

Sam brought a roaring fire to life after he had set Gabriel down on the couch wrapped in a blanket like a marshmallow. The warmth was welcome, Gabriel bringing his hands out of his little cocoon to feel the new source of warmth. Sam fell onto the couch beside him, unwrapping Gabriel to share the blanket. Wordlessly, Gabriel helped Sam maneuver the blanket to wrap around the both of them. 

Sam jumped as he felt a freezing hand clasp his under the blanket. He turned to look at Gabriel, who was looking right at him with fire dancing in his eyes from the fireplace. He squeezed his hand back. A small smile appeared on Gabriel's face that Sam thought was the most adorable thing ever. He gazed at Gabriel with affection in his eyes.

"What is it Sam-moose? Do I have something on my face?" 

"No, its not that. Its just I-

Giving up on using words, Sam leaned forward and gently pressed his lips to Gabriel's. He pulled back quickly afraid at what his friend would think. What he found surprised him. Gabriel was beaming at him, his eyes dancing with happiness. 

"I'm sorry Gabe" 

"Its fine Sam. I've wanted to do that for God knows how long"

Sam smiled hesitantly at him. He reached his arms around Gabriel and pulled him closer to himself so they were cuddling. Gabriel rested his head on Sam's chest, Sam's heartbeat starting to lull him into a deep sleep. Once Gabriel's breathing had evened out, Sam pulled the blanket tighter around them. He pressed his lips against Gabriel's hair, unaware of the smile that appeared on Gabriel's face. 

Mary Winchester watched as her boy slept on the couch with his best friend. She smiled at their embrace, the love emanating from it reminding her of John and herself years ago, in a better time. She knew that when she finally left, her boy would be taken care of. He would be loved. He would never be alone. 

Sam startled awake at the feeling of something watching him. In the dying fire, he couldn't see anyone around the cabin. He returned his gaze to Gabriel, the love he felt warming his heart. 

"I love you Gabriel. Probably more than you will ever know. But I will try to spend every day proving to you just how much" 

Sam shifted himself on the couch, getting comfortable. Gabriel grabbed onto him like a touch starved koala. He wrapped his arms around Gabriel, smiling when he felt Gabriel clutch onto him just that little bit tighter. Sam fell asleep with thoughts of the boy he loved on his mind. Finally happy for the first time in a long time.


End file.
